Saudi Arabia Failing to Crack Down on Terrorism, Rewarded With Cheney Visit
Saudi Arabia Failing to Crack Down on Terrorism, Rewarded With Cheney Visit
Two days ago, the LA Times reported that Saudi Arabia has still failed to crack down seriously on terrorism:
[T]he kingdom has not met its promises to help prevent the spread of terrorism or curb the flow of money from Saudis to terrorist cells around the world, U.S. intelligence, diplomatic and other officials say.
And millions of dollars continue to flow from wealthy Saudis through Saudi-based Islamic charitable and relief organizations to Al Qaeda and other suspected terrorist groups abroad, aided by what the U.S. officials call Riyadh’s failure to set up a government commission to police such groups as promised, senior U.S. officials from several counter-terrorism agencies said in interviews.
Even as “countless young terrorism suspects” from Saudi Arabia flee across the “porous border into Iraq,” Saudi King Abdullah broke bread last week with radical Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (Abdullah is on the left, al-Sadr on the far right):
For these same faults, countries like Syria are harshly criticized by the Bush administration, threatened with sanctions and cut off from diplomatic relations.
Saudi Arabia’s punishment? A visit today from Vice President Dick Cheney.
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When the Saudi Royal family is considered part of the Bush family I doubt your going to see to much action against the Saudi’s.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:53 pm85 people have been beheaded in in the last Year …….come on
January 17th, 2006 at 12:54 pmMein Gott! Where did you get the photo?
January 17th, 2006 at 12:55 pmUh, never mind. I see now. Can’t believe I missed that.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:56 pmWow, the two great tastes that tast great together.
Maybe they will hold hands and stroll through the rose garden. Oh wait, that was Bush.
Yep, Bush is held hands with a guy that is now meeting with one of the leaders of the insurgency.
January 17th, 2006 at 12:59 pmBush Seeks His Enemies’ Help in Iraq
by Gareth Porter
To avoid the failure of its mission in Iraq, the George W. Bush administration has been driven to seek the help of two major enemies – the Sunni insurgents and the government of Iran – but both initiatives have failed to make progress because officials were not given any real negotiating authority.
U.S. officials in Baghdad are now pursuing contacts with both declared enemies, with the aim of obtaining their cooperation in overcoming otherwise seemingly insurmountable obstacles to success in Iraq. In both cases, however, the White House has been unwilling to approve concessions required to reach a deal benefiting both sides.
Theirs your leader IRI. What have you 39% got to say now?
January 17th, 2006 at 1:01 pmNo wonder Cheney’s knees are bad…
January 17th, 2006 at 1:03 pmare you proud of your boy King and his cohorts yet IRI?
January 17th, 2006 at 1:04 pmGood one Zoo!
January 17th, 2006 at 1:05 pmSince the majority of the 9/11 hijackers were saudi’s why WOULD they crack down on terror? The crackdown on terror needs to start in the white house by IMMEDIATELY removing the “head of the snake” by IMPEACHING bush. Then the shit will roll downhill taking cheney and all the other corrupt murdering bastards that have destoyed this country.
January 17th, 2006 at 1:08 pmperhaps IRI your 39% lives with Bushies friends.
January 17th, 2006 at 1:08 pmpoor IRI the outsider looking in
see his face against the glass
drooling for their money
for he thinks its class
entitlement and status
are not but lazy uncertainty
foolish men foolish games
IRI is not a player
for your words have caught you out
the outsider IRI fogging the glass
forever outside looking in
wipe he away the mist
become he the realist
explain to us IRI, might high
how you shall spin this
for it shall amuse me
to watch you spin uselessly
#7,
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!
January 17th, 2006 at 1:11 pmWith friends like these…
January 17th, 2006 at 1:15 pmOK, I know Big Dick Cheney has been in hiding a very long time.
Is he the one in the Thread picture holding the overly large flute?
spoken with a whale of tongue in cheek….
January 17th, 2006 at 1:17 pmFor Aphrodite and IRI
speak of darkness and the light
yet both are blinded by their sight
oh Ye haters of color ye can only
be dark of Heart, for that is from whence you come
have left you ill, for these things were left
for those to take, and show their true self
and ye have oh many of ye
ye have taken the trap
bitten the cheese and down
come the Clasp
Even as “countless young terrorism suspects†from Saudi Arabia flee across the “porous border into Iraq,†Saudi King Abdullah broke bread last week with radical Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (Abdullah is on the left, al-Sadr on the far right
Cmon IRI show thy face
January 17th, 2006 at 1:20 pmor is it hidden in disgrace
is this why Delay russia went
likud money taken and spent
paying the neo-cons to do thy bidding
selling america for cheap suits
elfish grins and cowboy boots
Spudge, how do you attach photos to a thread. Thanks if you have time.
January 17th, 2006 at 1:20 pmfly-man,
send me an e-mail at spudgeboy@gmail.com
January 17th, 2006 at 1:23 pmfly left click on web page photo, copy link location such as
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:rrLe4GjR5Pv_eM:www.uni-muenster.de/PeaCon/global-texte/g-w/ag-texte/pushwar/rummy-saddam-s.jpg
clicck image above this box, paste the link, then at second screen you can add title, sometimes web sites will block the image and it wont show here, or it gets removed, heres the image link above pasted into the HTML script
January 17th, 2006 at 1:24 pmhope that clears it up. I have dial up so please not to many huge images I fall asleep at keyboard…
January 17th, 2006 at 1:26 pmThere was a reason I didn’t put the instructions here.
January 17th, 2006 at 1:28 pmTerra and Oil are big business.
January 17th, 2006 at 1:42 pmCheney’s trip includes a visit to Egypt. According to Juan Cole, the purpose is to ask for military support by the Egyptian Army should it be required. Cheney might be asking the Saudis to pay for such an effort, since we only give Egypt two billion dollars a year and what can you do with that?
January 17th, 2006 at 2:02 pmNothing personal, but I wouldn’t wish a visit from Dick Cheney on my worst enemies… Don’t you think that that IS a punishment?
Z.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:03 pmYou think a junkie cares if the dealer beats his dog.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:09 pmneo-gones,
January 17th, 2006 at 2:10 pmI click image but it won’t let me paste.
Don,
You should get a pop-up window that you paste the URL in. look at the top of your browser and see if it is being blocked.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:13 pmSpudge,
January 17th, 2006 at 2:20 pmI get the window but it won’t let me use the edit function, and I don’t want to type the damn thing.
18- That pic just never gets old.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:22 pmSorry about the request. i feel like Mr. Magoo, just trying to cross the street. Here is something ON topic and she is the bomb. Catch the name of her book at the bottom. Enjoy.Thanks anyway Spudge. http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20060115-103622-3038r.htm
January 17th, 2006 at 2:24 pmDon, what browser are you using?
January 17th, 2006 at 2:28 pmAnd of course Sadr’s sitting there in Iraq with a position of power, and now being formally fetted by the Suadi’s is exactly tyhe reason Cindy Sheehan is upset as her son was killed fighting Sadr, yet he is somehow gaining power within Iraq. Go figure. Its almost like the making Mumia the chief of police of Philadelphia.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:37 pmSaudi Arabia is the REAL terrorist state, but Bush loves his OIL pals! Most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis, and remember that Bush allowed Osama’s family members to leave the United States after that attack!
January 17th, 2006 at 2:41 pmNo sh*t?
L’il Dick on another Hajj?
What’s up with that?
That bastich is more Muslim than Ramsey bin Al Sheib…
January 17th, 2006 at 2:41 pmaww, come on! these guys are doing a heckuva job cracking down…
January 17th, 2006 at 2:44 pmOK, I know Big Dick Cheney…
Comment by kindness #14
kindness,
No you don’t…
the only thing big on L’il Dick is his pace maker…
Why do you think Lynn writes about her lesbian trysts AND publishes ‘em?
January 17th, 2006 at 2:44 pmFor christ’s sake, this is just sick.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:48 pmThe war of error
January 17th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
January 17th, 2006 at 2:53 pm#36 – I agree. When we prostrate ourselves to the #1 terrorism exporting country in order to get a single commodity, I think it’s more than “just sick”. I think it’s a betrayal of the American spirit and everything good that our founders based our society and nation upon.
January 17th, 2006 at 2:53 pmBREAKING NEWS:
Transcripts from Cheney’s Saudi visit Leaked by NSA…
L’il Dick: Can you get a message to Osama for me?
King: Sure L’il Dick, what shall I tell him?
L’il Dick: His voucher’s up at the Hyatt this Friday, he’ll have to relocate to a less conspicuous location…
King: Okay, no problem there’s a Motel Six a few blocks away. But I can tell you he won’t like it!
L’il Dick: Look what can I do, FEMA’s having problems, the Democrats are all over us…
King: Calm down L’il Dick, we can’t have you shorting out on Saudi soil…
L’il Dick: Thanks King…can I have some more of those wonderful dates?
January 17th, 2006 at 2:55 pmNice pic of Bush kissing a Saudi prince post 38 > lol.
Looks like Bushy likes to kiss older guys, not just Jeff Gannon his bulldog > lol.
January 17th, 2006 at 3:13 pmbig papa, I was alluding to the photo & news-splash that wonkette used back in Oct 2004 showing Darth Cheney pitching a tent in his pants. The campy lines about the photo ran along the lines of There’s the republicans big tent & such.
My mind is in the gutter when it comes to humor. No I don’t admire nor think about Cheney till threads like this come around.
January 17th, 2006 at 3:21 pm#38 Spudgeboy
January 17th, 2006 at 4:04 pmBeautiful!
That would be nice on Valentine’s Day cards!
Caption: “If I KISS you, can you make me a king?”…..”Keep KISSING bushka…” “Bushback Mountian”… “It all started with holding hands, then a kiss..” “Daddy, look at me now!”
January 17th, 2006 at 4:09 pmHow ’bout ‘BrokeBack Camel’. It was the ride in the desert, neither would ever forget :)
January 17th, 2006 at 4:19 pmJeff Gannon just saw that pic of Bush kissing another guy and is pissed off > lol.
Brokeback Washington story ends with a breakup of Jeff and George > lol.
January 17th, 2006 at 4:27 pmWhat kind of sick bastard thinks a visit from Darth Cheney is a reward?
Sounds like torture to me. Did Gonzo approve this?
January 17th, 2006 at 4:43 pm“Brokeback Camel”
January 17th, 2006 at 4:50 pmI am ROFLOL!
You all are worse than me. I am now relieved….
January 17th, 2006 at 4:54 pmOh yea, Michael Moore had it all wrong.
There are no secret behind the scenes dealings here with the Saudi Royal Family.
In a pig’s eye.
January 17th, 2006 at 6:50 pmOne thing is clear.
The Bush administration needs to account for it’s apathy towards our own country’s porous borders while engaging its efforts overseas supposedly in operations designed to keep America safe.
The stumbling bumbling strategy (slapstick like even), of the Bush administration in fighting this so called “War on Terror” is akin to stirring up a hornets nest in your back yard, while leaving your own homes doors and windows wide open.
It’s the kind of thing we would expect to normally see on America’s Funniest Videos.
January 17th, 2006 at 6:51 pmMy mind is in the gutter when it comes to humor. No I don’t admire nor think about Cheney till threads like this come around.
Comment by kindness #42
kindness,
Didn’t think you did, just funnin’
January 17th, 2006 at 7:19 pmHey just get grover norquist to go over there and pay them off, or something;
Grover Norquist: Conservative Exposed as Terrorist Sympathizer/Enabler
There’s an incredible story brewing in Washington that is too hot for the networks to touch.
Grover Norquist, whom most conservatives know as Executive Director of the College Republicans, boardmember of the NRA, and head of Americans for Tax Reform, has been exposed as helping Muslim groups and individuals who finance and support Islamic terrorism gain access to the Bush White House.
Norquist has also been exposed as the founder of the Islamic Insitute, a group believed to be funded by foreign governments, Wahhab Islam elements in Saudi Arabia, and U.S. Muslim groups recently raided by a special Treasury Department task force for funding Al Qaeda and Palestinian terrorists
January 17th, 2006 at 8:56 pmThe Saudi government cracks down on terrorism, and any claims to the contrary are just plain stupid.
You all need to grow up and realize that its more complicated then you’re gung ho idiocy tactics.
January 17th, 2006 at 9:00 pmAnother odd crossed eye type, funny that Grover funded the college republicans, yet Malkin says;
Canceled checks obtained by Insight show Alamoudi provided seed money to start a GOP-oriented Muslim group called the Islamic Institute, which Norquist originally chaired and now is led by former Alamoudi aide and former AMC staffer Khaled Saffuri. A White House memo obtained by Insight prepared for coordinating Muslim and Arab-American “public-liaison” events with the White House shows that the Islamic Institute was instrumental in establishing the connection. The memo, from early 2001, provides lists of invitees and the name, date of birth and Social Security number of each. Norquist, as the first chairman of the Islamic Institute, tops the list.
Alamoudi and others, including Norquist, tried to keep critics at bay by branding them as “racists” and “bigots.”
How Bizarre, shes a Neo-con yet shes against the Head of the Repulican College and K-street.
January 17th, 2006 at 9:06 pmWell No wonder, my I is crossed.
why do their eyes cross? is it greed or have the lies twisted their Eye? do they only use half of their Brain?
January 17th, 2006 at 9:08 pmHey someone who sees logic did you read my post,Grover Norquist funder of Islamic Wahhabi groups. Gee Wasnt Osama Saudi? The Hijackers? You got some good logic logic
January 17th, 2006 at 9:10 pmNow Grover is a Conservative Rich man right? So hes not a Liberal right? is that what you are saying someone who sees logic?
January 17th, 2006 at 9:12 pmThat a Non Liberal supports terror then cheney rushes over and kisses royal bootay? And we should fall on our Knees and hail the great crooks and liars?
Hope you didnt buy that load of fecund, for thats wha it was.
Is it complicated like:
“Bring it on”
“Mission Accomplished”
“Fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here”
“We don’t torture”
How about this one:
“Wiretapping requires a warrant”
All said by Bubble Boy himself.
You are deluded and need to go see a doctor about a brain transplant.
January 17th, 2006 at 9:22 pm[...] What do you do with a country that coddles terrorists and who claimed the 9/11 terrorists as countrymen and who just met with the leader of the Iraqi insurgency? You reward them with a visit from the Vice President. Oh, and you attack a neighboring country that had nothing to do with 9/11 but whose leader had in it for daddy. [...]
January 17th, 2006 at 10:00 pmPlay it again sam…
Our armies do not come into your cities and lands as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators. … It is [not] the wish of [our] government to impose upon you alien institutions. … [It is our wish] that you should prosper even as in the past, when your lands were fertile, when your ancestors gave to the world literature, science, and art, and when Baghdad city was one of the wonders of the world. … It is [our] hope that the aspirations of your philosophers and writers shall be realized and that once again the people of Baghdad shall flourish, enjoying their wealth and substance under institutions which are in consonance with their sacred laws and their racial ideals.
– General F. S. Maude to the people of Mesopotamia, March 19, 1917
The government of Iraq, and the future of your country, will soon belong to you. … We will end a brutal regime … so that Iraqis can live in security. We will respect your great religious traditions, whose principles of equality and compassion are essential to Iraq’s future. We will help you build a peaceful and representative government that protects the rights of all citizens. And then our military forces will leave. Iraq will go forward as a unified, independent, and sovereign nation that has regained a respected place in the world. You are a good and gifted people — the heirs of a great civilization that contributes to all humanity.
– President George W. Bush to the people of Iraq, April 4, 2003
January 17th, 2006 at 11:01 pmJust wondering how many of you know anything about Saudi Arabia or have ever even been there? I’m guessing its a very, very, very small number judging from the amazing ignorance expressed in many of these posts. The Saudis have probably killed more terrorists than any other country. Their king died recently and the government has finally allowed local elections for the first time ever. They have serious problems but are trying hard to deal with them. It takes time. The clerics hold lots of power and have to be dealt with carefully so the country doesn’t go into revolution. They live in a neighborhood that has been screwed up for hundreds of years. I understand that reason isn’t a strong suit on this site but give it a try eh?
January 18th, 2006 at 12:49 am#62 TheRef
January 18th, 2006 at 1:45 amCare to provide any links to articles or book recommendations which support your statements regarding these changes currently taking place in Saudi society? I’m not disputing what you’ve said, I’m actually interested in learning, if indeed there is something to be learned.
I have made quite a few trips to the kingdom myself. You can’t get much coverage from the stateside media since they tend to slant what little coverage they provide to American politics (of whichever side). The best sources I can give you to learn and follow events (other than going there) are the english language papers if you are really serious. Here are a few:
These should give you a reasonably wide selection of viewpoints to start. Arab News is in Saudi Arabia, Dar Al Hayat is from Lebanon, Gulf News is in Dubai and Al Jazeera is in Qatar. I find Gulf News and Arab News to be the least political and most factual since they deal extensively with economics, education, sports and the issues of most peoples lives more than just ranting editorials. MEMRI is the Middle East Media Research Institute and seems to have a bit of an agenda but at least they provide links to actual tv interviews and provide translations.
January 18th, 2006 at 2:23 amLike most news outlets you may have difficulty finding articles that were in print more than a week or two ago. If you visit often you should see further coverage of the United Arab Emirates decision to start teaching democracy in public schools next year across multiple grades or Kuwait’s allowing women to vote. The Emir of Kuwait just died so they are in a bit of transition also. You can see 2 articles on the front page of Arab News today about shootouts with known or suspected terrorists.
Things are rarely as simple and clear as partisan web sites would like you to believe. You have to look from multiple angles to find the truth.
Oops, the links didn’t work. I’ll just post the addresses:
http://www.arabnews.com
http://www.gulf-news.com
english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
english.daralhayat.com
memri.org
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub
Sorry about that!
January 18th, 2006 at 2:25 am#64 & #65
January 18th, 2006 at 2:38 amI share your belief — in order to understand something, one has to view it from multiple angles. Thanks for sharing those links.
#65 Just a comment, Bush and Blair planned to bomb one of your sources, Al Jazeera. And, in fact, they did bombed a lot of independant reporters, this time from allied countries (remember Hotel Palestina).
January 18th, 2006 at 6:20 amI’m guessing its a very, very, very small number judging from the amazing ignorance expressed in many of these posts. The Saudis have probably killed more terrorists than any other country.
Comment by TheRef #62
Right wing Ref’use,
Saudi Arabia is where Wahabbiism (one of if NOT THE most radical form of Islam) originated…
The House of Saad (the ruling monarchical clan) is rife with Wahabbis…especially in their “intelligence” agency…
…that’s enough for me…
January 18th, 2006 at 9:12 amAnother shining example of Bush & Co. doing what they arrogantly tell others not to try, giving “aid and comfort” to the terrorists, or those who support or provide safe haven for terrorists. Yet another “In Your Face!”, by these obscene liars and hypocrites. And the Main Stream Monkies continue to “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak of no evil.” Sigh……
January 18th, 2006 at 9:46 amBush should tell us what deal he made with the Saudi when he kissed him passionately?
If I was president the Saudis would kiss my feet!!!
January 18th, 2006 at 12:08 pmJay…
Unfortunately Bush is President and he thinks that we should kiss his a**.
Z.
January 18th, 2006 at 12:16 pmYes Zwack > Bush wants average Americans to kiss his butt, but at the same time he kisses the Saudis > what does that tell you?
Means he is subserviant to them, so it means that when we kiss Bush, then we are in turn kissing the Saudi King > lol.
January 18th, 2006 at 1:04 pm#67 – I’m not sure they “planned to bomb Al Jazeera” since they are located in Qatar which is where the CENTCOM command post is. I believe the Palestine Hotel was fired on by a tank which claimed to be returning fire rather than bombed. Personally I think the tank saw flashes from a window and thought it was being fired on, but that’s just opinion. Regardless of whether either incident was accidental or intentional, these things have no bearing on whether or not it is worth while learning something about an area you intend to deride, slander, invade or whatever. If you learn about them you may decide they aren’t so bad. You may also learn something useful about your enemy you can use against them. Either way it isn’t a waste of time. What is a waste of time is making snide comments about a subject with so little knowledge of what you are talking about. I don’t say this to you personally since you did no such thing. I say it to the majority of the posters here with no idea what they are talking about.
January 19th, 2006 at 12:20 am#68 – Thank you for proving my point about the “amazing ignorance” of posters. The Wahabis are from Saudi but on what do you base your “rife with Wahabbis…especially in their “intelligence†agency” statement? Were you aware that a number of the more radical clerics have been silenced? Some have been jailed but due to the sensitivity of the issue most have simply had their paychecks (many Saudis live off the welfare state, only some are rich) cut off or their mosques taken away. There are still too many left for my taste but it is progress. The “that’s enough for me” bit doesn’t exactly sound like the sort of “open-minded, progressive” outlook so many here claim to be filled with.
January 19th, 2006 at 12:27 am[...] Oil: Bush said we need to move away from a petroleum-based economy. Good. Talk to Conrad, Dorgan, and Schweitzer – they’re way ahead of you on bio-diesel and other alternative energies. Plus, we don’t have to cozy up to the terrorist-funding nation of Saudi Arabia anymore. Tax cuts: Bush said we need to keep the tax cuts going, then, in the next breath, complains about overspending. Gimme a break – is logic beyond this guy? Education: Bush talking about education? ‘Nuff said. No Child Left Behind is an unfunded mess. Health care: Puh-leeze. Medicare Part D is a disaster. If Bush were serious about health care reform, he’d quit promoting personal health savings accounts and move to single-payer health care, which is cheaper, more effective, and simply easier to deal with than a confusing mess of government, pharmaceutical, and HMO coverage. Domestic spying: Bush wants to listen to your phone calls if you call someone outside the US. Fair enough – if he gets a warrant. Bush must follow the law. The law says get a warrant. You have up to 72 hours AFTER the fact to get one – it ain’t hard, bub, and FISA only rejected four of five out of tens of thousands. [...]
February 1st, 2006 at 12:55 am